[harkyns_castle]

> Quite a lot of the stranger aspects aren't so much "features" as blast craters of past disasters.

Cracked me up, very well said. In general I agree that the document-centric browser has been abused horribly. Then we get obscene beasts like node.js, because, well, the browser does it, so must we.

[pjc50]

Node.js is interesting, and while it wouldn't be my first choice I can see how it came about. AJAX in the browser leading to Javascript developers evolving a callback-chaining style; realising that they could use the same language and style on the server; the inherent high efficiency of single-process nonblocking callback orientated servers.

[georgerobinson]

Does anyone think that JavaScript could overtake PHP as the "go-to" language for server-side scripting with Node.js as the "go-to" runtime?

Despite my indifference to Node.js, I can see the unification of client-side and server-side scripting into a single language being incredibly valuable to the millions of PHP and JavaScript developers (both front and back-end) out there: most of whom beyond the realm of HackerNews and want to get it done.

Not only that, it would significantly reduce the barrier to entry for web scripting and disincentivize beginners from picking up all those nasty habits such as md5 password hashing and manually constructing SQL queries from raw input which are so worryingly accessible.

The only thing I can see preventing this are:

1. Lack of a mod_node for Apache. Perhaps this exists? 2. The upload and refresh workflow so many PHP developers are familiar with 3. A scheduler to prevent any one website from blocking the Node.js event loop on shared hosting

Is this completely bonkers, or is it quite sane?

[angersock]

Not quite correct--as memory serves, as far back as Netscape folks have offered server-side JS.